The arrival of Fawkes
by Professor McGonagal
Summary: This is the story of how Albus Dumbledore met Fawkes the Phoenix. Please read, enjoy and review! :)
1. Chapter 1

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk staring around his office. It was a beautiful room filled with various objects that shimmered in the glowing light from the various candles that hovered around the room. Albus's eyes paused on the perch which held Fawkes, the Phoenix. Many assumed that Fawkes was Dumbledore's pet, but the truth was that they were equals. Two beings that had come across one another in a time of great need, and had never parted again. He had never forgotten how they had met, and knew he never would.


	2. Chapter 2

It was last day of the Christmas holidays and he was due to return to Hogwarts and begin his first year as Headmaster. He had been walking peacefully through a forest near his old home in Godric's Hollow, thinking of many things at once, when he heard a loud roar and a screech. All thoughts forgotten, he broke into a run, and as he rounded a corner he entered a clearing and a horrible sight met his eyes, a creature he had only ever heard of on page 54 of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. _

_A Manticore. _An enormous creature originating from Greece, a creature with the body of a lion and tail of a scorpion, but the head was that of a man. It was rearing upwards, swiping the air with its great paws, trying to knock a fiery red bird, a Phoenix, out of the air, as it swooped over it, screeching as it swerved, protecting a singular pink egg lying in a gold nest, in between two branches of a large thick oak tree. Albus felt sickened as he saw several pink egg shells smashed on the ground, crushed into small pieces.

Without even considering what he was about to do, he reached for his wand and sent a powerful stunning spell at the beast. The spell rocketed off the tail, but the beast roared with pain. It spun round, the mean and cold black little eyes swerving around as it tried to locate the source of its pain. They focused, first the right, then the left on Albus. It charged, the phoenix still swooping it at every opportunity.

Albus dodged swiftly, enraging the beast, it spun round, and charged again. Albus dodged once more, laughing quietly as the ground shook slightly; the Manticore had crashed headlong into a tree. If the Manticore was enraged before, it was nothing compared to how it felt now. It roared and pawed the ground, steam puffing out of the small nostrils with every breath, eyes narrowed, it reared on its hind legs, its head swerving from side to side, jaws snapping the air as the Phoenix swerved once more. Albus sent another stunning spell at the beast but once again it rocketed away after hitting the Manticore. He prepared to dodge as the Manticore charged for a third time.

That's when things went wrong.

At the last second the Manticore spun. The centre of its body crashed into Albus knocking him down, into the base of a tree trunk, knocking the air out of him. He lay there stunned, only vaguely noticing that the egg in the nest had begun to glow.

The Manticore had turned its attention back to the Phoenix, who swooped again, its talons aiming for the little eyes. The Manticore ducked and lifted its tail. The Phoenix screeched as the point of the tail touched the wing, and the bird exploded into a pile of golden dust, falling onto Albus bringing him back to his senses. He rose, and was about to send the most powerful Impediment Jinx he could muster towards the Manticore, when he was lifted off his feet as the Manticore's tail wrapped around him, pulling him upwards. The point of the tail came closer and closer…

The pink egg exploded along with its nest, and out came a small fiery red and gold Phoenix with a cry of song. The small Phoenix flew at the Manticore tearing its face with its small talons, the Manticore roared, dropping Albus, snapping at the bird catching it in his jaws ad throwing it across the clearing. Albus crouched as he landed and sprang to his feet catching the Phoenix in one hand as it flew through the air. It continued to sing, a beautiful melody that calmed Albus and focused his thoughts. As the Manticore pounced Albus breathed deeply and sent the Reductor curse toward the beast. It smashed into the animal and it erupted into smoke, sending large red jets of light in the trees. When the smoke cleared, all that was left was a small burnt patch in the grass. Albus looked down at the small singing bundle in his hand and smiled tiredly. The baby Phoenix crooned one last "Fwaaaaaawkes", before snuggling down into his hand and falling asleep.

Albus smiled, "Hello Fawkes."

Albus Dumbledore then apparated out of Godric's Hollow heading for Hogwarts, along with his friend and equal, Fawkes the Phoenix.


End file.
